Much respect to Mine That Bird

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Mine That Bird certainly got a great pace setup ... but he made an excellent account of himself for sure.

Looks like the tactic of having him jog and loaf through the very early stages has moved him up big time. Obviously.

I'm curious to see how he runs in the Belmont when you can't loaf away the early stages of the race and expect them to come back to you because the pace is often much slower. ... baring the entry of any speed sprinter types like High Finance or baring the entry of a dominant speed router like a Smarty Jones who was forced to brush off an insanely premature middle move from a Malibu winner.

To me RA is a dominant speed router - and I like MTB's Belmont chances better if she runs .. they won't let her have a Da Tara jog on an uncontested lead trip obviously.

Even though I thought RA was a cinch today .. I got burnt because I played against MTB underneath .. and I will eagerly play against him in the Belmont again if RA doesn't run.

RA saw real pace pressure today from a very good and very fresh speed horse coming off of a razor sharp win. Look at the horses who were also wide into the 1st turn and not far behind her ... I believe they were Friesan Fire, POTN, and General Quarters ... all of them were exhusted and beaten by a country mile.